Mt. Washington, an urban hiker’s paradise #RachelleAyala @mimisgang1 #mgtab

We went to Pittsburgh and saw R2D2! Who knew that Pittsburgh has so many delightful secrets, including steps galore, old churches, and unexpected scenic views?

This spring, while vacationing for our son’s graduation from Carnegie Mellon University, my brother-in-law took us on a walking trip on the south side of Pittsburgh near Mt. Washington. The city is full of steps that go up and down the gorges carved out by the three rivers. We stayed in Mt. Washington, on the south side of Pittsburgh. The views from there are awesome, and from one viewpoint, we counted ten bridges. We also did the touristy thing of taking the incline down the slope and back up.

But the highlight of our trip was hiking up and down the miles and miles of steps. Pittsburgh seriously is a city built for mountain goats. Some of the steps are well maintained where others disappear into the bushes. They provide shortcuts through many neighborhoods whereas cars have to go a roundabout route. My sister pointed out a set of houses perched on the hillside that have no street and are accessible only by stairs. Imagine carrying your groceries up every week.

Here I am, halfway up a long series of steps. It’s a beautiful spring day, but can you imagine trudging up and down on your way to work on an icy wintry day?

The city is an eclectic mix of old and new. Many buildings preceded the days of building codes, and we opened a door that was overgrown with plants. It was half filled with dirt inside. There’s also a house with a door that you never want to step out from.

Next time you’re in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, look up some of the Pittsburgh Steps tours. They are self-guided, and be prepared for a nice workout. By the way, the streets are so narrow in the Mt. Washington area that everyone parks their cars on the sidewalk. I’ll always remember Pittsburgh as a city where you curb your car instead of your dog. A common thing locals do is to place a chair on their parking spot to save their car a “seat.”

Hope you enjoyed my introduction to Pittsburgh and a few of their many staircases and steps.

When I’m on vacation, there’s nothing better than relaxing in the evening with a good book. We have a new boxed set for you of romantic stories for you to enjoy – Unforgettable Love, Box Set #30 in our Unforgettable Collection. Hope you enjoy your summer break!

Travel with Mona to Thailand

Visit the Island of Phuket

When I was still at University preparing for a Ph. D. in Analytical Chemistry I became a good friend with Tumany, a graduate student from Bangkok, Thailand. She talked daily about her home town, its history and many treasures. When she offered to have her brother act as our guide, I couldn’t resist the temptation of going to Thailand. My husband had endless free mileage from business trips and said why not. Several of our professors asked me to bring back sapphire rings or necklaces for their wives and daughters. During an exhausting three-day visit of Bangkok we ate the spicier food I’ve ever tasted, admired the most gorgeous sapphire rings I’ve ever seen, and visited more than a dozen temples, and then we headed to Phuket.

Years later I returned to Phuket on a cruise. This island boasts some of the most beautiful beaches with fine white sand, nodding palm trees and glittering sea such as the mystical Phang Nga Bay.

The rock was the filming site for the 1974 James Bond movie, The Man with the Golden Gun.

Phuket is blessed with more than 30 amazing beaches to choose from. I had the chance to soak my feet in the Indian Ocean. But we were more attracted by the exotic aspect of the island.

The statue of the Big Buddha looms above the city. It’s a150 ft statue made of marble. We didn’t visit it but I took pictures from far.

Wat Chalong or Chalong Temple is the most visited, revered, and largest temple in Phuket. Highly considered as a must cultural visit in Phuket due to its history and scale.

Built in 1837, Wat Chalong Phuket is the most popular Thai Temple on the island and is one of the cultural highlights on many Phuket sightseeing tours. The tallest building, Chedi, is 60 meters high and is said to hold a bone fragment of Buddha himself. The interior of the building contains pictorial illustrations of Buddha’s journey. The building alone is three floors filled with golden statues.

Its historical significance was that the monk founders of the temple, Luang Pho Cham & Luang Pho Chuang led Phuket’s Chalong District citizens to fight against the Chinese Rebellion in 1876 using their knowledge of herbal medicine to heal the injured.

As a place of worship, tourists will experience many locals offering prayers and lighting candles, which is generally a very peaceful experience, but one that is often interrupted by the loud bang of Chinese Fire Crackers to ward off bad spirits.

Dancer
Silk weaving

At the Thai Cultural Village we enjoyed several shows with dancers and watched silk weavers at work.

LAST CHANCE PLANS https://amazon.com/Last-Chance-Plans-Love-Book-ebook/dp/B0BL1ZPD41… Sweet and Sassy Emotional, Sensual, Humorous. During a flight to Miami, she meets the charming businessman and his mother. Rick doesn’t hide his attraction. But…

Coffee to Improve my Health!

Drinking 2 to 3 cups of coffee daily, including ground, instant, or decaffeinated coffee, is associated with significant reductions in cardiovascular disease and mortality, compared with avoiding coffee, a new analysis of the prospective UK Biobank suggests.

Ground and instant coffee, but interestingly, not decaffeinated coffee intake was also associated with reduced risk of new-onset arrhythmia, including atrial fibrillation. “Daily coffee intake should not be discouraged by physicians but rather considered part of a healthy diet,” Kistler said.

“This study supports that coffee is safe and even potentially beneficial, which is consistent with most of the prior evidence,” Carl Lavie, MD, who wasn’t involved in the study, told theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology.

“We do not prescribe coffee to patients, but for the majority who like coffee, they can be encouraged — it is fine to take a few cups daily,” said Lavie, with the Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Significant reductions in the risk of incident coronary heart disease were associated with habitual coffee intake of up to 5 cups/day. Coffee consumption at all levels was associated with significant reduction in the risk of congestive cardiac failure and ischemic stroke. The lowest risks were observed in those who consumed 2 to 3 cups/day.

“Coffee consumption is associated with cardiovascular benefits and should not empirically be discontinued in those with underlying heart rhythm disorders or cardiovascular disease,” Kistler told theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology

“Caffeine has also a role in weight loss through inhibition of gut fatty acid absorption and increase in basal metabolic rate. Furthermore, coffee has been associated with a significantly lower incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus,” Kistler added.

So enjoy your coffee while reading a new book, or better a box of new books.

No love can ever be as special as your first.
What if you could have the chance at a new beginning with your first love?
Find true love and your happy ever after in the pages of these SIX BRAND NEW, full-length steamy stories from New York Times and USA Today Bestselling, Award-Winning Authors.

TWO HEARTS REUNITED by Tamara Ferguson, USA Today bestselling author. When Lieutenant Eric O’Neill returns to Crystal Rock for a family reunion, he’s shocked to run into none other than Anya Weldon, the only woman he’s ever loved. Learning that her life’s been filled with tragedy, he’s determined to win her back—even if it means assisting with her search for her sister, who she believes was abducted by human traffickers ten years earlier.

BACK TO ME by Natalie Ann, USA Today bestselling author: Cooper Winslow accepted that his first secret love in college was lost to him forever and moved on with his life. Years later, fate brings them together and now he wonders if he is going to lose her again with all the family drama he’s lived with for years.

SWEET SUCCESS by Suzanne Jenkins, USA Today bestselling author: Carly and Jake love each other, but have goals that will place them at opposite ends of the country. When their dreams fall through, will love still be an option?

YOUR DANGEROUS KISS by Alicia Street, USA Today bestselling author: Rafe March considers his career on the big screen a fluke that he isn’t sure he ever wanted. With magazine cover good looks, a near genius IQ and a wealthy family, his options in life are plenty. Too bad the only thing he ever really wanted was Lucinda.

WE’RE ALL WINNERS by Mona Risk, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author: Scheming people and secrets separated them. With help from her toddler and his German shepherd, love may bring them together again.

THE REGAL ROSE by Susanne Matthews, International bestselling author: She’s a princess in distress; he’s her knight in shining armor. Can he rescue her one more time?

Travel with Mona to Spain

We went to Spain several times, mostly to Madrid and Barcelona, but my favorite trip was the bus tour we took around the south and west. I will share here some of my favorite places, mainly Cordova and Seville.

We flew to Lisbon, Portugal, and drove through Andalusia, a region of hills, rivers and farmland bordering Spain’s southern coast. It was under Moorish rule from the 8th-15th centuries, a legacy that shows in its architecture, including such landmarks as the Alcázar castle in Seville, the capital city, as well as Córdoba’s Mezquita Mosque-Cathedral and Granada’s Alhambra palace.

Our first stop was in Cordova (Cordoba). It was an important Roman city and a major Islamic center in the Middle Ages. It’s best known for La Mezquita, an immense mosque dating from 784 A.D., featuring a columned prayer hall and older Byzantine mosaics. After it became a Catholic church in 1236 and the Cordova Cathedral, a Renaissance-style nave was added in the 17th century. 

A new capital

Following the overthrow of his family (the Umayyads) in Damascus by the incoming Abbasids, Prince Abd al-Rahman escaped to southern Spain. Once there, he established control over almost all of the Iberian Peninsula and attempted to recreate the grandeur of Damascus in his new capital, Córdoba. He sponsored elaborate building programs, promoted agriculture, and even imported fruit trees and other plants from his former home. Orange trees still stand in the courtyard of the Mosque of Córdoba, a beautiful, if bittersweet reminder of the Umayyad exile.

Known locally as Mezquita-Catedral, the Great Mosque of Córdoba is one of the oldest structures still standing from the time Muslims ruled Al-Andalus (Muslim Iberia including most of Spain, Portugal, and a small section of Southern France) in the late 8th century. Córdoba is a two hour train ride south of Madrid, and draws visitors from all over the world.

Temple/church/mosque/church

The buildings on this site are as complex as the extraordinarily rich history they illustrate. Historians believe that there had first been a temple to the Roman god, Janus, on this site. The temple was converted into a church by invading Visigoths who seized Córdoba in 572. Next, the church was converted into a mosque and then completely rebuilt by the descendants of the exiled Umayyads—the first Islamic dynasty who had originally ruled from their capital Damascus (in present-day Syria) from 661 until 750.

Seville

This southern Spanish capital is famous for its historic churches and palaces, Moorish buildings, flamenco dancing, and more.

Plaza de España is a semi-circular brick building, Renaissance/neo-Moorish in style, with a tower at either end (tall enough to be visible around the city, these towers – north and south – are major landmarks). In front of the building, following the curve of its façade, is a 500-metre canal crossed by four bridges, and in the center is the Plaza itself. Plaza de España, Seville’s most impressive after the cathedral, was built for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929 (Expo 29), along with many of the pavilions in and around the Parque Maria Luisa.

All along the wall by the canal are 48 alcoves with benches, one for each province of Spain, each with a relevant tableau and map, all designed on colorful azulejos (painted ceramic tiles). 

Considered the heart of Seville’s tourist district, Santa Cruz is easily one of the most beautiful barrios (neighborhoods) in the whole of Spain. This neighborhood is home to many popular tourist sites, including the Seville Cathedral and the Real Alcázar, an old palace with stunning gardens to explore.

We spend a day in Santa Cruz, walking through the picturesque streets of Seville.

Going from shop to shop, looking for unique handicrafts and ceramics.

The fans of Game of Thrones will recognize the Real Alcázar de Sevilla as the Water Gardens of Dorne. The incredible royal palace was built for King Peter of Castile, a Christian king and the Alcázar was constructed on the site of a Muslim fortress.

Cathedral of Seville

Also known as the Cathedral of St. Mary of the See, it is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and the third Christian temple after St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London. Since the conquest of the city, on November 23, 1248, the building of the aljama, or the Almohad Mosque, was converted into the cathedral of the archdiocese of the Kingdom of Seville.

The Tomb of Christopher Columbus and behind the statues of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
Inside the huge cathedral

A flamenco show to end a long day.

The next day, tasting wine in Malaga.

Last Chance Plans

Love Plans Series, book 10
Sweet and Sassy
Emotional, Sensual, Humorous

NEW RELEASE

A Bad Boy Billionaire story

At twenty, Rick Lambert ran away from the US to escape the accusations hurled at him. Fifteen years later, he returns to settle in Fort Lauderdale.
Flight attendant, Madison Howell loves nothing more than her job. During a flight from Dubai to Miami, she meets the authoritative businessman and his mother.
When people from long-ago cross his path, secrets are revealed, threatening to ruin their romance. Now mature and powerful, Rick confronts his enemies to clear his name, but will it cost him the woman he loves?